askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

Summer flinched, hands instinctively wrapping about herself and her whole body pulling in. The last time someone had said something like that, it hadn’t been a question, but an accusation, backed by rage like a blow. “Yeah,” she said softly, “I guess I am. And you have no reason now to believe I’m not.” She swallowed against the sick feeling in her gut and forced herself to drop her arms, though she couldn’t seem to make her shoulders relax or her heart slow its hammering.

Isaac watched her reaction, surprised, and realized his aggressive stance. He took a deep breath and looked at her, trying to decide what to do. “Fine, you can hide out here until that guy he’s gone. I don’t trust you, but I trust him even less,” he admitted, relaxing in a less threatening pose. “And don’t worry, I don’t wanna hurt you,” he added, knowing a little bit of reassurance on that matter was probably a good idea.

Her mouth twitched in a half-smile. “I know. But you will, if you think I might hurt you.” She folded herself down to the floor cross-legged, and half-lifted a hand to her temple. It was an unnecessary gesture; she didn’t need to move to track the hunter. It didn’t help her shut out the boy standing by the door, either.

He didn’t trust her, but he was honest. Someone she could trust. She sighed quietly. “He’s gone. Back to his car, I assume, since he’s moving away pretty fast. Back toward my apartment.”

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

“It’s cheating. But, you know,” she went on, a little sadly, knowing she was going to invoke his suspicion all over again, “in a way what I am doing is cheating, too. I know what you’re feeling, so I can tailor my actions to evoke the feeling I want. Without ever actually touching your emotions from the inside.” it didn’t matter than in her fear, she hadn’t, really.

“So you’re basically saying that I should never trust you because you could be manipulating me?” Isaac asked with an unbelieving chuckle. He wasn’t sure why she was telling him this, or about her powers, but he figured that if she’d wanted to trick him, she would have used those powers instead. And the man had looked like a guy to stay away from. 

Summer flinched, hands instinctively wrapping about herself and her whole body pulling in. The last time someone had said something like that, it hadn’t been a question, but an accusation, backed by rage like a blow. “Yeah,” she said softly, “I guess I am. And you have no reason now to believe I’m not.” She swallowed against the sick feeling in her gut and forced herself to drop her arms, though she couldn’t seem to make her shoulders relax or her heart slow its hammering.

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

“I /wish/ I knew who he was — his shields are amazing. And terrifying. I can hear him, but I can’t get in.” Summer shivered. “As far as what he wants — it’s not what he’s claiming. Logically, he wants to use me.” She looked down at her hand, and closed it, an expression of determination hardening her face. ‘I don’t think he’s going to like the results of that.”

When she said the man was trying to use her, apparently for her powers, he frowned, letting his concern take over his suspicion for a moment. “If you can manipulate emotions, how come you’re not doing that to me?” he asked, curious and aware that there was a chance he was going to regret asking that question. But he had to. 

“It’s cheating. But, you know,” she went on, a little sadly, knowing she was going to invoke his suspicion all over again, “in a way what I am doing is cheating, too. I know what you’re feeling, so I can tailor my actions to evoke the feeling I want. Without ever actually touching your emotions from the inside.” it didn’t matter than in her fear, she hadn’t, really.

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

She opened her mouth, then closed it again, and swallowed. Well, she’d said anything, and apparently fate was just determined to hold her to that right away. “I’m an empath,” she answered at last. “I can sense and manipulate most people’s emotions.” Hopefully if she kept her eyes fixed on his very blue ones he would believe her.

Isaac saw her hesitation in answering, and once she did, he kept his gaze fixed on her, trying to figure out whether she was lying, trying to pick up on her heartbeat. “Let’s say I believe you,” he said, then added, “Hypothetically.” He hesitated for a moment then spoke again. “Then who’s the guy coming after you and why?” 

“I /wish/ I knew who he was — his shields are amazing. And terrifying. I can hear him, but I can’t get in.” Summer shivered. “As far as what he wants — it’s not what he’s claiming. Logically, he wants to use me.” She looked down at her hand, and closed it, an expression of determination hardening her face. ‘I don’t think he’s going to like the results of that.”

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

“I don’t have one,” Summer admitted, coming to her feet. She lifted her hands, keeping the fingers spread, where he could see them. “I don’t know of anything I can say that you would believe, except thank you. All I can offer is to let you ask me anything, and I’ll answer honestly.” Wryly, with a slightly twisted smile, she went on, “Of course that brings you back to the problem of trusting me.”

“At least you’re honest,” Isaac huffed out with an unbelieving chuckle. He studied the girl, trying to figure out whether she was actually a threat or not. Her scent was different from what he’d encountered so far, and that tipped off his alarms. When she said she was going to answer his questions, he didn’t hesitate. “What are you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her. 

She opened her mouth, then closed it again, and swallowed. Well, she’d said anything, and apparently fate was just determined to hold her to that right away. “I’m an empath,” she answered at last. “I can sense and manipulate most people’s emotions.” Hopefully if she kept her eyes fixed on his very blue ones he would believe her.

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

The hunter lifted his hands, plastering an entirely unbelievable expression of innocence on his face. He rocked back. “There’s no need for that. Just watch out for her. She’s dangerous.” He turned and walked away, hands in his pockets, very casual, and paused at the end of the driveway. “If you see her, make good on that threat.”

Isaac glared at the man throughout his act of innocence, but he was relieved to see him back off. “I’ll be sure to avoid this… ninja assassin girl,” he reassured the man with an eloquent look. “He’ll be the first one I call,” he added, then watched as the man finally walked away. He closed the door and locked it, then turned to look at the girl with a suspicious glare. “Give me a good reason I shouldn’t just call the Sheriff.” 

“I don’t have one,” Summer admitted, coming to her feet. She lifted her hands, keeping the fingers spread, where he could see them. “I don’t know of anything I can say that you would believe, except thank you. All I can offer is to let you ask me anything, and I’ll answer honestly.” Wryly, with a slightly twisted smile, she went on, “Of course that brings you back to the problem of trusting me.”

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

Obviously sarcasm was just this boy’s natural mode of expression. Summer all but held her breath and listened.

“A girl,” the hunter continued, doggedly. “Short. Skinny. Red hair. A lot of red hair. She’s dangerous. You seen anyone like that?” He didn’t look like he was put off in the slightest by Isaac’s sarcasm or hostility. In fact, he took a step closer, as if he was going to force his way into the house to search it.

Isaac cocked an eyebrow at the man as he continued to speak, insistent. When he took a step closer, Isaac glared, putting himself between the man and the house. “Look, I don’t know what your problem is, but there’s no girl here,” he said with an eloquent look. “So unless you want me to call the sheriff, who’s a personal friend, you should get off my property,” he added, keeping expression firmly determined. 

The hunter lifted his hands, plastering an entirely unbelievable expression of innocence on his face. He rocked back. “There’s no need for that. Just watch out for her. She’s dangerous.” He turned and walked away, hands in his pockets, very casual, and paused at the end of the driveway. “If you see her, make good on that threat.”

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

“I’m Summer. Hi.” Why the stuffing was he asking her questions now? She pressed herself into the wall, barely glancing at the room she was inside. Someone’s house. Abandoned, apparently. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on the sense of absence the hunter created in her mind. His shields were astonishing.

The hunter walked up the street. Walked … but how was he following her so closely? He must have left his ride behind. She could sense him stopping at the foot of the driveway … walking up the driveway … “I’m looking for a girl,” he said, to Isaac.

(the hunter)

“Well, hello Summer, make yourself at home,” Isaac told her, mildly sarcastic, but he could see she was genuinely scared, and he wondered once again what was after her. When someone else knocked on the door, he opened, once he was sure she was out of sight, and found himself facing a man. He looked like someone Isaac would immediately call the police on, and he instantly felt hostility towards him, like his instincts were telling him to stay as far away as possible from him. 

“Missed a few biology classes, have we?” Isaac replied sarcastically, arching an eyebrow at him. “I’m not a girl,” he added, looking at the man. “And considering this is my dead father’s house, I doubt you’ll find one here, try the swimming pool,” he continued, then stared at the man, expecting him to leave. 

Obviously sarcasm was just this boy’s natural mode of expression. Summer all but held her breath and listened.

“A girl,” the hunter continued, doggedly. “Short. Skinny. Red hair. A lot of red hair. She’s dangerous. You seen anyone like that?” He didn’t look like he was put off in the slightest by Isaac’s sarcasm or hostility. In fact, he took a step closer, as if he was going to force his way into the house to search it.

askisaacthewolf:

iamthefirechild:

Summer darted inside, scrambling to find a place where she couldn’t be seen from the street. “If someone asks, you haven’t seen me, okay,” she said, breathlessly. “Please. I’ll owe you, so much.” She crouched down, keeping her eyes fixed on the boy.

Isaac closed the door and turned to look at her, a concerned frown still on his face. “Yeah, you’ll have to tell me why I’m hiding you and who’s after you,” Isaac replied with a pointed glare. In that town, it could seriously be anyone, from her angry father to a hungry zombie, at this point. “Also, who the hell are you?” 

“I’m Summer. Hi.” Why the stuffing was he asking her questions now? She pressed herself into the wall, barely glancing at the room she was inside. Someone’s house. Abandoned, apparently. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on the sense of absence the hunter created in her mind. His shields were astonishing.

The hunter walked up the street. Walked … but how was he following her so closely? He must have left his ride behind. She could sense him stopping at the foot of the driveway … walking up the driveway … “I’m looking for a girl,” he said, to Isaac.

(the hunter)